Assistant Director for Pre-College and First Year Experience

About the role

The Assistant Director for Pre-College and First-Year Experience serves as the primary staff member responsible for the planning, implementation, and assessment of the University's Living-Living and Theme Living Communities. This individual will develop and implement a comprehensive programming model grounded in learning outcomes that promote the engagement, success, and sense of belonging of all first-year students, including both residential and commuter populations. In addition, this position supports residential, dining, and social/recreational programming associated with on-campus pre-college academic experiences for high school students.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and assess a comprehensive First-Year Experience co-curriculum that includes peer mentoring, Living-Living and Theme Living Communities, and educational, leadership, and social programming designed to promote student engagement, belonging, and success.
• Collaborate with academic and student affairs partners to plan, implement, and evaluate Living-Living and Theme Living Communities and other first-year initiatives.
• Serve as the primary coordinator for first-year co-curricular programs, working closely with the College of Arts and Sciences, Westbrook College of Health Professions, College of Business, and other campus partners.
• Coordinate the student life components of pre-college programs, including housing, dining, and social/recreational experiences.
• Recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate student staff, including Resident Advisors, First Year Experts, work-study students, and community assistants.
• Partner with Residence Life staff to support the training, development, and success of Resident Advisors and first-year residential communities.
• Collaborate with the Director of Student Engagement and campus partners to plan and implement New Student Orientation, Weeks of Welcome, Convocation, Homecoming, and other signature campus programs.
• Develop and maintain marketing and communication materials for First-Year Experience initiatives, including website content, social media, and promotional materials.
• Assist with student leader recruitment, selection, onboarding, and training processes.
• Work closely with the Associate Provost for Student Success and other campus partners to support retention, student success, assessment, and family engagement initiatives.
• Provide leadership in departmental planning, assessment, strategic initiatives, program development, and professional staff training.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with key campus partners, including Admissions, Academic and Career Advising, Safety and Security, Dining Services, Student Engagement, and Campus Center Operations/Recreation.
• Provide guidance to student organizations and provide guidance to students regarding academic, personal, behavioral, and community concerns, connecting them with appropriate campus resources.
• Serve as a University conduct officer and support student accountability and success through educational conduct processes.
• Participate in departmental and university-wide committees, programs, and events, including Orientation, Convocation, Commencement, and other institutional initiatives.
• Participate in the professional on-call rotation, serving as a senior on-call administrator for residential emergencies and crisis response. Provide guidance during emergency situations, collaborate with campus and external partners, and support university emergency response efforts.
• Directly supervise two Area Coordinators responsible for residential communities housing first-year students.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and at least three years of relevant residence life administrative experience, including one or more years of live-in experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills have been acquired.
• Previous experience working with first-year students.
• Demonstrated strong administrative, collaborative, supervisory, and student advisement skills.
• Experience with living-learning and/or themed living communities strongly preferred.
• Experience with Residence or similar housing management software preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products preferred.
• Experience serving as a student conduct hearing officer preferred.
• A master's degree in College Student Personnel, Higher Education, or a related field preferred.